9 Aug 2021

Today's sports news: What you need to know

12:46 pm on 9 August 2021

Latest - Scott Dixon has revived his hopes of a seventh Indy Car championship.

New Zealand Indycar driver Scott Dixon.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The experienced New Zealand driver has finished second in today's crash-marred street race in Nashville, while his title rivals have struggled.

Dixon's team-mate and championship leader Alex Palou has crossed the line back in seventh place, while second placed Pato O'Ward has come home in 13th.

The third Chip Ganassi Racing driver Marcus Ericsson has won the race.

Scott Dixon has moved up to second in the championship, ahead of Mexican O'Ward and has trimmed 14 points off Palou's overall lead to now sit 42 points behind the Spaniard.

Fellow New Zealander Scott McLaughlin finished back in 22nd after his Team Penske teammate Will Power spun him into a wall.

The next round is in Indianapolis this weekend.

Former playing partner gets the better of Venus

Olympic bronze medallist Michael Venus and British partner Neal Skupski have lost a tight doubles final at the ATP 500 tournament in Washington DC.

New Zealand's Michael Venus

Michael Venus Photo: PHOTOSPORT

They've been beaten 7-6 (4) 6-4 by Venus's former partner South African Raven Klaasen and New Zealand born Ben McLachlan who hails from Queenstown but represents Japan.

It was certainly a match that got away from the second seeds. Venus and Skupski were up a break in the first set but couldn't close it out. They converted just one of their nine break point chances with Klaasen and McLachlan converting twice from five chances.

McLachlan has now won seven ATP Doubles titles is thrilled with the win.

Venus will now travel to Toronto for the ATP Masters 1000 tournament there where he is reuniting with his new regular partner Germany's Tim Puetz. They are the seventh seeds and have been drawn against the Belgian pair of Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in the first round.

First Test drawn

The opening test between India and England ended in a draw after rain washed out what had promised to be a humdinger of a final day at Trent Bridge.

England captain Joe Root walks off in the rain.

Joe Root Photo: PHOTOSPORT

England captain Joe Root's stellar century and India spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's bowling mastery had set up an intriguing final day in the weather-bedevilled contest.

India, chasing 209 for victory, went into the final day with a slight advantage needing 157 runs with nine wickets in hand to go 1-0 up in the five-test series.

With Ollie Robinson and James Anderson in great form with the ball, England fancied their chances too but play was abandoned after steady rain had wiped out the first two sessions in Nottingham.

Both Root and his India counterpart Virat Kohli lamented the weather which robbed the see-saw game of an exciting finish.

"We certainly felt like we were on top in the game. We bowled well enough and batted well enough to stay in the contest and then getting that lead was crucial, said Kohli.

Root was adjudged player of the match for his 21st test century which dragged England back into the contest after conceding a 95-run lead.

"It was a great test match," Root said after collecting his award. "The weather's robbed us of what could have been a very entertaining final day."

The second test is scheduled at Lord's from Thursday.

- Reuters

NRL Grand Final for New Zealand?

Australia's National Rugby League will consider holding this year's Grand Final in New Zealand for the first time if fans are not allowed back into games elsewhere before the end of the season.

The Melbourne Storm lift the 2020 NRL Premiership trophy aloft after beating the Penrith Panthers 26-20 in the grand final in Sydney.

Photo: NRL Photos

Pandemic restrictions have caused havoc with the NRL schedule since several states went into lockdown last month to suppress COVID-19 outbreaks.

That has seen games in the tournament shifted to a centralised base in Queensland and the issues have prompted the Australian Rugby League Commission to consider holding the showcase event on the other side of the Tasman Sea.

"We are keeping all our options open because our number one priority is to have crowds," Peter V'landys, the ARLC's chairman, said according to The Australian.

"If we were to play it in New Zealand it would be no different for the Australian audience if we played it in any capital city in Australia because the only way they could watch it would be on TV."

Every NRL Grand Final has been played in Sydney since the tournament started in 1998.

"We want the event to have atmosphere because it makes no difference to anyone else because they will only be watching it on TV," said V'landys.

- Reuters

Durant staying in Brooklyn

NBA star Kevin Durant has re-sgined with the Brooklyn Nets on a four year contract worth $280 million.

Durant, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP, when he won titles with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

He left the Warriors following the 2018-19 season, which ended in a loss to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals.

Kevin Durant in action for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics.

Kevin Durant in action for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Photosport

Durant ruptured his Achilles during the series, causing him to sit out all of 2019-20.

"Kevin is a transcendent talent who continues to drive and push this franchise and the game of basketball globally," said Nets general manager Sean Marks.

"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with him for years to come."

Most recently, Durant led Team USA to a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

He became the U.S. men's team's all-time leading scorer as he picked up his third gold medal in Japan.

- Reuters

Maiden victory for Martin

Pramac Racing's Jorge Martin fended off Suzuki's reigning world champion Joan Mir to seal his first MotoGP win at the Styrian Grand Prix in Austria that was stopped and re-started after a fireball incident.

The Spaniard Jorge Martin 89 of Team Pramac Racing and Alex Rins 42 of Team Suzuki.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Pole-sitter Martin faced immense pressure from Mir but finished 1.548 seconds ahead of the Suzuki rider to hand Pramac their maiden MotoGP win in his rookie season.

Yamaha's world championship leader Fabio Quartararo completed the podium, extending his lead to 40 points over nearest rival Johann Zarco of Pramac, who finished sixth.

The race was red-flagged on the third lap after KTM's Dani Pedrosa fell on the exit of Turn 3 and Aprilia Racing's Lorenzo Savadori struck Pedrosa's fallen bike.

The crash caused a fire on track and the race was halted for more than half an hour. Pedrosa walked away unhurt from the incident and finished 10th in his first MotoGP race since 2018, while Savadori did not return for the restart.

Italian great Valentino Rossi, who announced on Thursday he will retire at the end of the season, was 13th on his Petronas Yamaha.

- Reuters